"I’m not a defender of old or new football managers. I believe in good ones and bad ones, those that achieve success and those that don’t. Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one."

"It’s a reward not only for an exceptional football player but when you win it for three years it means you have dedicated your life to football. Many times people get in the newspapers for the wrong headlines. In his case I feel that this is a reward for a very clean life. He is a role model for every striker, like Dennis Bergkamp before him. Unfortunately you get more of the headlines when you go out at 3 o'clock in the morning and you are drunk."

"There are three parties interested in a transfer - the player and the two clubs. Arsenal came out saying 'we do not want to sell Hleb'. Hleb came out saying he does not want to go and Hamburg came out saying they are not interested in Hleb. What else can I say? End of story."

"I don’t play for second and I don’t give up. I am not worried because I think we will come back. The team has a great spirit and needs support. There is quality here. What will count is where we are at the end of the season."

"I have heard it said repeatedly that we don’t have a plan B, or we are unable to alter our style, but to be honest I think that is ridiculous. The people in the media are paid to talk, fair enough, but they are not paid to work for me, so their opinion is just their opinion. People are quick to bury you but in the end the quality of the football will always talk loudest. Let people talk if that’s their job, but at Arsenal we are people who live from actions rather than words."